ETF Flows, Geopolitics Continue To Drag Down Crypto Prices

Cryptocurrency prices declined further in the past 24 hours, driven by heavy Bitcoin ETF outflows and escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East. The market saw a 2.9% drop in total capitalization to $2.32 trillion, with Bitcoin falling to $67,109—47% below its all-time high of $126,198—and Ethereum slipping to $1,881.42, down 4.7%. Bitcoin Spot ETFs recorded $519 million in net outflows, led by iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) at $389 million, while Ethereum ETFs saw $90 million in outflows. Liquidations surged to $1.76 billion, with long positions accounting for $1.53 billion and short positions at $229 million, according to Coinglass data. Trading volume rose 31% to $147 billion, though most of the top 100 cryptocurrencies posted losses, with only 20 seeing gains over 1%. Bitcoin’s weekly decline hit 11.4%, and its year-to-date loss reached 23.3%. Beyond crypto, crude oil prices rose 1%, gold fell 0.5%, bond yields tightened, and the Dollar Index climbed, contributing to the broader market downturn. Smaller cryptocurrencies also underperformed: BNB dropped 5.3% to $642.10, XRP fell 1.8% to $1.24, and Solana declined 4.9% to $75.30. Only Solana ETFs saw minor inflows of $7 million, while other major assets like Meta Platforms and Micron Technology remained ahead of Bitcoin in global market cap rankings. The sell-off reflects growing investor caution, with Bitcoin now ranked 14th globally in market cap, down from earlier positions. Ethereum’s drop pushed it to 97th place, while TRON fell 2.5% to $0.3320. The liquidation wave and ETF outflows suggest heightened risk aversion, compounded by external market pressures and geopolitical uncertainty.